Dementia in Scotland newsletter - issue 75 March 2012

March 2012 - Issue 75
£1.50 (Free to members)
1 year post diagnostic support
Exclusive Nicola Sturgeon explains this world first commitment
We are the
Champions! 100
new Dementia
Champions for
Scotland
Post-diagnostic
support – a
personal
account
Our Dementia
Nurse Consultant
in Lanarkshire
hits the ground
running
Last year, we asked the Deputy
First Minister and Cabinet
Secretary for Health, Wellbeing
and Cities Strategy, Nicola Sturgeon
MSP, to guarantee that people
receiving a diagnosis of dementia
would be offered one year of
post-diagnostic support from a
named and well trained person.
It was a momentous decision when
she said yes.
Here, the Deputy First Minister
explains to Dementia in Scotland
why she agreed to give this ground
breaking commitment.
One year postdiagnostic
support guaranteed
A world first for
dementia
What is the Deputy
First Minister’s personal
commitment to the one year
Post-Diagnostic Support
guarantee?
As we moved into this second
term I made dementia and older
people’s services my personal
policy priorities. These issues
are, quite rightly, staying at the
forefront of the social and political
agenda. We published Scotland’s
National Dementia Strategy in
2010, and one of its two key
improvement areas is postdiagnostic support. Last December
I told the National Dementia Forum
that I was putting in place, for the
first time, a national commitment
to reflect the personal priority I
attach to making improvements
in this key area and providing a
2
guaranteed minimum of one year
post-diagnostic support.
For me, it is vital that I have a
specific focus on this area of care
– because I know that getting
the right support in place at this
stage of the illness can greatly
help improve the quality of care
throughout the journey of the
illness. I know that Alzheimer
Scotland share my conviction and
my determination to deliver this
commitment.
This guarantee is (as far as
we can tell) a world first how will the post-diagnostic
guarantee of a minimum of a
year’s support enable people
with dementia, their carers
and families to live well with
the illness?
While there are good local
examples of post-diagnostic
services, provision is currently
inconsistent. Underpinning this
commitment will be a link worker,
assigned to work with the person
and their family and carers in coordinating support and building a
person-centred support plan, based
on Alzheimer Scotland’s “5-Pillar”
model. Providing this support will
be key to supporting people in
adjusting to a diagnosis and its
likely impact - both emotionally
and practically; and in helping
them plan for the future and
navigate through the key issues and
supports available. We want the
commitment to help people with
dementia live well in their home
and in their community for as long
as possible. The person-centred
plan will help empower and inform
people in being at the centre of
their care as the illness progresses
and will be a key resource to be
accessed by professionals.
As part of this commitment,
through this year we are
supporting test sites in Glasgow
City, South Ayrshire, Argyll and
Bute and East Renfrewshire –
they will provide us with more
information on the workforce and
resource implications for local
services of delivering the strategy.
What does the Scottish
Government mean by ‘world
class dementia support’ and
how are we implementing
that across Scotland?
Providing world-class dementia
support means, among other
things, working with Alzheimer
Scotland and others in sustaining
and building on our impressive
achievements in early identification
and diagnosis; improving postdiagnostic services; and treating
people with dementia with dignity
and respect at all times and in all
care settings, including of course
acute hospital settings. The
Dementia Strategy is designed
to make real and measurable
improvements in these and other
areas over its initial 3-year period.
But building world class dementia
services for the years to come, with
our ageing population, also means
working within the Dementia
Strategy to influence wider action
on transforming older people’s
services.
What are the benefits of
having a Scotland-focused
approach to dementia
(incorporating Scotland’s
demographic challenges
both now and in 25-30 years’
time)?
We are all well aware of the
demographic challenges we
are facing up to and planning
for right now. While there are
approximately 82,000 people in
Scotland with dementia today, as
our population ages that number is
projected to double over the next
25 years. That’s presented us with
a significant challenge. It’s part
of our wider challenge on older
people’s services and one we’re
addressing with our partners across
the statutory and third sectors by
providing a Change Fund to help
local partnerships build stronger
community and family-based and
person-centred services - and in
doing so lessen the pressure and
costs associated with long-term
care. We’ve also been supporting
local partnerships in Midlothian,
North Lanarkshire and Perth and
Kinross in demonstrating the
benefits of the local whole-system
re-design of dementia services.
What are the benefits for
the Scottish Government of
working with organisations
such as Alzheimer Scotland
in implementing the
Dementia Strategy?
people’s experience of services.
Indeed, it’s what people told
us was vitally important as we
developed the Dementia Strategy.
As part of this programme of work,
I was delighted to see the launch
of the Informed About Dementia
DVD in February and the first 100
Dementia Champions graduate in
March.
Development of the Dementia
Strategy included the close
involvement of Alzheimer Scotland
and the Scottish Dementia Working
Group, both of whom endorsed
our approach. It has been vital
to me that, in implementing the
strategy, they have both been at
the heart of the large programme
of work, providing expert advice
and input on the services to which
people are entitled, and influencing
the implementation of the various
strands of the strategy. I also look
forward to hearing the views of,
and working with, your new Carers’
Group.
We also continue our joint
endeavour with Alzheimer Scotland
to appoint a Dementia Nurse
Consultant to every NHS Board
in Scotland this year. These posts
will complement the work of the
Dementia Champions. The Nurse
Consultants – some of whom
are already in post – will play a
key expert role in supporting,
facilitating and advising on service
improvement within their Board.
What about implementation
of the Standards of Care for
Dementia in Scotland?
Improving services in acute
hospitals is the second key
improvement area in the strategy.
Earlier this year I asked the
Chief Nursing Officer to lead a
programme of work to assure me
on the quality of care in hospitals
for all of our older people. As
part of this process, in February,
Healthcare Improvement Scotland
(HIS) began a programme of
inspections to run through this year
into the standard of care of older
people in acute general hospitals,
including against the dementia
standards. I expect HIS to publish
their first report in April.
There’s been a huge demand for
the standards from services across
all sectors and I know that they’re
being used to help improve local
services and identify where the
gaps in provision are. People with
dementia and their families are
also using the standards to get the
services to which they’re entitled.
Scrutiny bodies will also use the
standards when inspecting services.
We’re going to consult on a review
of the National Care Standards
– and part of that will include
ensuring that they are aligned with
the dementia standards.
How important is the
implementation of Promoting
Excellence?
What about the NHS
Healthcare Improvement
Scotland inspections of
hospitals?
I’m delighted to contribute to
this issue and I look forward to
continuing to work with Alzheimer
Scotland on the new postdiagnostic commitment and the
rest of the dementia strategy.
I’m clear that taking this national
approach, for the first time, to
developing and up-skilling the
dementia workforce across health
and social services is key to helping
services meet the dementia
standards and to improving
3
Alzheimer Scotland
welcomes the
Deputy First Minister’s
announcement
Alzheimer Scotland has
campaigned for improvements in
early diagnosis and post-diagnostic
support for many years and we
were pleased that improving postdiagnostic support was one of the
key priority areas in the National
Dementia Strategy. However, as the
strategy began to be implemented
we were disappointed in the pace
and lack of consistent improvement
in delivering post-diagnostic
support across Scotland.
Our serious concerns led us to
argue for the introduction of a
minimum guarantee and to put
forward the “Five Pillars” postdiagnostic support model outlined
in the following pages.
We are delighted that the Cabinet
Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and
Cities Strategy, Nicola Sturgeon,
listened to our concerns and
has agreed to make a national
commitment, guaranteeing that
Dementia Champions from Shetland, with their
Director of Nursing (right)
4
every person diagnosed with
dementia and their family will
receive a minimum of one year’s
post-diagnostic support from a
named and well trained person.
We believe that this is a world first
and a world-leading commitment
and we commend the Scottish
Government for making it. This is
a significant milestone in dementia
care and we expect it to be a
life changing commitment for
the 7,000 people in Scotland
diagnosed with dementia each
year, and for their families.
The challenge now is to deliver it.
This will require a major shift in
both practice and culture. However
few people do not support this
approach and I am certain we will
have the support of all professional
groups to make this a success.
Henry Simmons
Chief Executive, Alzheimer Scotland
Dementia Champions from NHS Lanarkshire
Coming to terms with dementia
final straw. He and his family
were forced to look online for
information about his illness, but
could never discover what they
really wanted to know: how to
cope with dementia and what
Henry’s future was, if any.
“She said: ‘You’ve got
vascular dementia. Come
back and see me in six
months.’ Then she sent
me on my way.”
Henry Rankin tells Dementia
in Scotland how postdiagnostic support helped
him and his family come
to terms with vascular
dementia.
“It was dreadful. Absolutely
dreadful. There’s no other way to
describe it. She said ‘You’ve got
vascular dementia. Come back
and see me in six months.’ Then
she sent me on my way. No more
information, no-one to speak to.
I didn’t even know what vascular
dementia was. I thought it was all
over, that I had six months left to
live. I walked out to the street and I
burst into tears.”
Henry Rankin is unequivocal
about the manner in which he
was given his diagnosis of vascular
dementia at the age of 58. After
months of trying to find out the
cause of his memory problems
and receiving little in the way
of answers, it seemed like the
However, Henry was fortunate
enough to live in East Renfrewshire,
where Alzheimer Scotland’s Facing
Dementia Together project is based.
Facing Dementia Together provides
information and support to people
recently diagnosed with early stage
dementia, their families and friends.
It also aims to help people take
control of the supports they need
throughout the illness, as well as
putting them in touch with other
people in the same situation.
“I can’t praise Tracy [Gilmour,
Manager of the project] highly
enough,” says Henry. “She put
me at my ease straight away.
She reassured me, gave me my
confidence back. The way I’d got
my diagnosis had knocked the
wind right out of my sails, but she
got me back on track. She spoke
to my family too, gave them lots of
information and advice. Best thing
was; she was always there. We
could speak to her at any time.”
Tracy was able to put Henry and
his family in touch with the various
people, groups, public sector
agencies and other organisations
required to help the Rankins plan
for future legal, financial and care
needs, as well as assisting them
with the form-filling involved.
Tracy also put Henry into contact
with the Scottish Dementia
Working Group. He (with several
other SDWG members) recently
attended the Alzheimer’s Disease
International annual conference
in London and was asked to speak
during one of the discussions – an
experience he thoroughly enjoyed.
As Henry points out, “If someone
is told they have cancer, they’re
pointed toward people that can
help them. That didn’t happen to
me. They need to get diagnosis
and post-diagnostic support right
for people with dementia and their
families. I’m glad the government’s
made a commitment to making
that happen. It’s brilliant news…
and not before time!”
The Facing Dementia Together project made a film at one of
their café sessions where people with dementia and their families,
including the Rankin family, talk about the difference the project
has made to their lives. You can watch the film at:
http://dementiascotland.org/services/east-renfrewshire/facingdementia-together/
As Tracy Gilmour, Post-Diagnostic Practice Manager, says: “Normally
what would have happened in the past would be that people
would get their diagnosis but supports really wouldn’t come into
play until they were maybe struggling or they’d hit a crisis point.
“If we can help people earlier on and provide them with
information and support and they can start to think about what
kind of support they might need in the future, then that
hopefully will keep people well for longer, promote independence
and help them feel more in control.”
5
Getting post-diagnostic support right for
people with dementia – the Five Pillars model
Improved post-diagnostic information and
support is recognised in Scotland’s National
Dementia Strategy as one of two key service
delivery areas in which immediate change is
required. There is clear evidence that high quality
post diagnostic support, provided over an
extended period, is essential in order to equip
people with dementia and their families and carers
with the tools, connections, resources and plans
they need to live as well as possible with
dementia and prepare for the future. The
One year guarantee
The purpose of the guarantee
we sought from the Cabinet
Secretary is to provide the security,
for a minimum of one year, of
a named person who has the
flexibility to work alongside the
person, their partner and family
and ensure that over that 12
month period each person is given
help and support to work through
6
positive effect which this kind of support can have
on people’s lives has been demonstrated in the
post-diagnostic support pilot funded by the Scottish
Government and delivered by Alzheimer Scotland,
and international evidence shows the long term
impact in reducing and delaying the need for care
services.
There are five key pillars which are recognised
as essential to supporting people after their
diagnosis, outlined in the diagram below.
the five pillars. By the end of the
year it is expected that some
individuals might require ongoing
professional support; however the
purpose of the post-diagnostic
support is to enable the individual
and their family to develop a
robust personal plan that utilises
all their own natural supports, that
maintains newly developed peer
support mechanisms alongside
existing and new community
connections and that will support
each person to live well and
independently with dementia for as
long as possible.
Personalised, flexible support
It is imperative that post diagnostic
support is personalised and
flexible, and delivered proactively
and sensitively over the course
of a year by a skilled and well-
trained person, who can develop
a supportive relationship with
the individual and their partner
and family. There is no preferred
systematic order in delivering this
support; each person will need a
unique approach and professionals
will need to identify when that
person and their family are ready to
engage in each area. Some people
will need time without too much
support, to absorb their diagnosis
of dementia; others might need to
begin planning their future right
away, while others might need
help to maintain their community
connections and not withdraw
from aspects of everyday life that
are keeping them active and
engaged.
How the model can work –
the five pillars
The five pillars in our model
highlight key areas of activity.
Various techniques and approaches
can be used to deliver a given
pillar, but it essential that the full
range is offered to each person.
Some examples of what this will
mean in practice and suggested
techniques are outlined below.
1.Help to understand the illness
and manage its symptoms –
supporting people with dementia
and their partners and families
to come to terms with dementia
and learn to self manage their
condition. This pillar must involve
the person’s partner, family and
natural support network. It will
mean breaking away from the
traditional patient-professional
model, to a more patient-family/
network model of living with
dementia. Approaches such
as Family Group Conferencing
and other methods of family
engagement will inform this work.
2.Support to stay connected to
their community - working closely
with people to maintain and build
on their existing social networks,
to enhance their quality of life and
maximise the natural support they
receive from those around them,
helping to avoiding isolation and
reducing future reliance on care
services. This will require a shift
away from traditional health and
social care boundaries. The named
worker will need to work with
the person to enable risk, plan
purposeful community activity and
connection, and to engage with
community development partners
and organisations to help people
with dementia continue to use and
be fully included in mainstream
community activity.
3.Peer support from other
people with dementia and
their families and carers – this is
highly effective in helping people
come to terms with the illness
and find coping strategies, and in
maintaining their wellbeing and
resilience. A good example of
peer support is the dementia cafés
run by Alzheimer Scotland and
others. These allow people with
dementia and their families and
carers to attend together, in a
relaxed informal atmosphere
where they can get information
from professionals but, most
importantly, have the opportunity
to meet other people facing
similar challenges. Feedback from
people using the cafés in Alzheimer
Scotland’s post-diagnostic pilot
shows how much they value this.
They said that the cafés helped
in all kinds of ways, helping them
see how you can live positively
with dementia and helping
families to think about balancing
independence with risk. Having
a forum for open discussion of
these issues helped everyone to
cope better, and enabled greater
independence and reduced
frustration all round.
4.Help to plan for their future
decision-making – support to set
up powers of attorney and other
statements of their wishes while
they are able to make their own
choices about the future. This will
include dealing with very sensitive
issues in a skilled and informed
manner. It also gives a focus to
issues such as advance directives
and Adults with Incapacity issues
and will also ensure that each
person has a good understanding
of Self Directed Support.
5.Support to plan the shape
of their future care from their
own perspective - together with
those around them, developing a
personal plan with their choices,
hopes and aspirations, which
can guide professionals. Personcentred planning offers a variety of
tools and techniques to assist this
process. This approach has been
used extensively in other fields
of practice, but not previously
with people with dementia. The
Alzheimer Scotland pilot showed
that existing tools can be successful
adapted to help people with
dementia to think creatively about
the support they might require
and about how the people around
them can offer support. The
basis of person-centred planning
is that the emphasis shifts away
from professional inputs and
expectations. Instead, it builds on
the hopes and expectations of the
person and their family and uses
techniques to place these hopes
and personal outcomes at the
centre of practice. It goes beyond
person-centred approaches and
converts the person’s hopes into
a live plan, with a series of goals,
steps and outcomes that those
involved in that person’s life will
help to deliver. In this scenario,
professionals are equal contributors
alongside family and friends and
the focus is always on the person.
The person owns the plan and
it can be used to lead future
interventions and as a method of
planning transitions.
Other methods exist to develop
and work towards a more personal
outcomes-based approach, such
as the use of Talking Points. The
named person should be equipped
to use and have access to a range
of interventions and planning
tools that he/she can offer to each
person. The essential focus must
be on supporting personal choice,
personal strengths and achieving
individual outcomes. How this is
achieved will be varied and highly
personalised.
Henry Simmons
Chief Executive
Alzheimer Scotland
7
Definitely not the missing link!
Alzheimer Scotland has, for several
years, employed Link Workers in
some areas to support people with
dementia and their partners and
families in the period immediately
after diagnosis and beyond. Thanks
to new funding streams, including
the Reshaping Care for Older People
Change Fund, we hope to offer this
key support in many more parts of
Scotland and expect to be employing
more new post-diagnostic staff over
the next few months (see page 19).
Our Dementia Link Workers, in
conjunction with colleagues from
other disciplines and agencies,
are there to support individuals
with dementia, their families and
friends, after diagnosis, providing
ongoing support and information,
and connecting people to peer
support or appropriate services.
They support people within their
own communities and help them
develop coping strategies to
live as well as possible with their
diagnosis.
To explain more about what they
do, we asked two Link Workers to
describe their role.
Rosemary McCrae has been a
Memory Clinic Link Worker for two
years. Employed by Alzheimer
Scotland, her post is part funded
by the NHS and she is based within
the Community Mental Health
Team which covers Annandale and
Eskdale in Dumfries and Galloway.
A qualified social worker and
experienced lecturer, Rosemary now
works four days a week supporting
people who have recently received a
diagnosis of dementia.
8
“I currently have a case load of
28 people with dementia and
30 carers. Following people’s
diagnosis, I go out and provide
education, advice and support
to those people and their carers,
usually within a 3 week window of
them getting their diagnosis. This
involves, for example, providing
Alzheimer Scotland publications,
discussing Power of Attorney and
the reasons people should have
this, Attendance Allowance and
why people may be entitled to this
(I work closely with the council
benefits department and will put all
of my referrals through them).”
“I find that my support visits are
not just for the people who have
received a diagnosis, but equally
important is the support I provide
to carers. Emotional support to
everyone involved probably takes
up most of my time on the first few
visits; however, I slowly see people’s
confidence returning as they find
new coping strategies we have
identified and this in turn often
reduces the carer stress people are
experiencing.”
“I also work with the Dementia
Advisor in my area and we run two
‘Forget me Not’ support lunch
groups which allow people and
their carers to socialise with people
in a similar situation to themselves
as well as allowing them to gain
some peer support, both for the
people with the diagnosis and
their carers. I also find the monthly
lunch groups allow people to keep
in touch with me on a light touch
support basis.”
“If required, I can link up and
network with other relevant
agencies such as Social Services,
Occupational Therapy, day care
facilities, etc. I always ensure
people have any required supports
in place before I discharge them.”
Rosemary works as part of a multidisciplinary team which includes
Community Mental Health Nurses,
an Occupational Therapist, a Social
Worker specialising in Mental
Health, and a Support Worker. She
also attends Memory Clinics with
the Consultant/GP and undertakes
further assessments if needed.
She also offers support to partners
and family members at the clinic.
“Because I meet them at their point
of diagnosis, I am then a familiar
face when I go out to start my
support visits around 3 weeks after
their initial appointment.”
Rosemary says: “I feel the Memory
Clinic Link Worker posts provide
valuable support at a very
appropriate time to people. Many
carers have told me that they wish
someone like myself had been
available when their own mother/
father received a diagnosis years
ago as they were left to ‘muddle
away’ as best they could.”
Helen McKenzie is a more recent
recruit to Alzheimer Scotland, joining
us two months ago as a Link Worker
based in Motherwell.
Having taken early retirement from
being a GP, Helen now spends her
time contacting and visiting newly
diagnosed clients and making follow
up visits or phone calls. “I liaise
with various agencies depending
on people’s needs. I also attend
local support groups and Dementia
Cafes and I hope to attend
multidisciplinary meetings as I build
up professional relationships.”
Like Rosemary, Helen does not have
a fixed time period for working
with people and their families – it
all comes down to each person’s
needs. “If people don’t want my
input or they are now being assisted
by our Support Team, then I will
step out of the picture. I can always
re-establish contact if I’m needed.”
More Alzheimer Scotland Dementia
Nurses Consultants come on board
Alzheimer Scotland Dementia
Nurses work with NHS colleagues
to increase staff understanding of
dementia and improve standards
of care. Our Dementia Nurse
programme began in 2006, with
posts created in NHS Greater
Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Borders,
NHS Lothian and NHS Ayrshire &
Arran over the next four years. In
2010, we launched our Dementia
Nurse appeal, spearheaded by
the Duchess of Hamilton, which
aimed to place an Alzheimer
Scotland Dementia Nurse in every
NHS board in Scotland. Thanks
to the generosity of thousands
of donors and joint funding from
the Scottish Government,10 new
Dementia Nurse Consultant or
Specialist Nurse posts are now in
development across Scotland.
NHS Lanarkshire was the fifth
health board to join our Dementia
Nurse programme, with the
appointment of Maureen Taggart
as Alzheimer Scotland Dementia
Nurse Consultant in late 2011.
“I’ve been working in NHS services
for Older Adults and Mental Health
for 35 years,” says Maureen, who
has been in a wide variety of
roles, including training, Service
Development Manager for Mental
Health and NHS Lanarkshire Lead
for Old Age Psychiatry. Her passion
for the post is clear, “I love being
an Alzheimer Scotland Dementia
Nurse; it feels like I’ve found my
perfect niche.”
Maureen advises Directors and
Executive Directors of Older Adults,
Mental Health and Nursing in
the board, providing valuable
information on dementia in both
acute and primary healthcare
settings. She also works closely
with hospital staff to employ the
practical changes outlined in
the Promoting Excellence training
framework. She greatly welcomes
the most recent instalment, the
Informed about Dementia training
resource (jointly produced by
NHS Education Scotland and the
Scottish Social Service Council
- see page 13). She says, “I see
it [Informed about Dementia] as
not just being something NHS
Lanarkshire should aspire to, but
a standard that all of our staff can
and will achieve.”
There have already been several
successes. One is her work to apply
the Butterfly Scheme – a model
devised by a carer called Barbara
Hodkinson (whose mother had
dementia) to improve patient
safety and wellbeing in hospitals.
This is based on the acronym
REACH:
• Remind – the patient what has led to this moment
• Explain – what is about to happen
• Arrange – helpful clues and important items to be visible, consistent and accessible
• Check – hydration, hygiene, eating patterns, etc
• History - of any kind must always be verified from the records, staff or carer; all instructions, including taking medicines, must always be backed up.
In addition, through the Practice
Development Centre and in
conjunction with the University
of the West of Scotland, 64 NHS
Lanarkshire Charge Nurses have
undergone training in dementia,
delirium and depression in older
people. Maureen is also working
to reduce the inappropriate
prescribing of psychoactive
medication by monitoring the
use of such treatment on a ward
by ward basis; this allows her to
step in with information (and
training, where required) if a
ward’s prescribing rates are too
high. She has also been keen to
encourage the use of e-learning for
staff in acute wards and accident &
emergency units.
Despite these early achievements,
Maureen feels that there is a
“huge amount yet to do” in NHS
Lanarkshire. While most staff want
to provide better care for people
with dementia, many have received
little training on the illness. For
those who were originally trained
20, 30 (or even more) years ago,
what they were taught about
dementia is likely to be out of
date. She has also been working
to create dementia-friendly ward
environments, but this has been
easier in some hospitals than
others.
Bringing everyone up to speed
with the standards of knowledge
and understanding outlined in
Promoting Excellence will take time.
It will also take enthusiasm and
commitment – which Maureen
Taggart has in abundance.
Kirsty Jardine
Awareness Manager, Alzheimer
Scotland
We are delighted that NHS
Education for Scotland will
provide a one-year leadership
training programme for our new
and existing Dementia Nurse
Consultants and Specialists.
9
100 new champions
for dementia
Scotland’s new Dementia Champions at their graduation
Scotland has 100 new dementia
champions within our acute health
care services. The champions were
congratulated by Nicola Sturgeon,
the Deputy First Minister and
Cabinet Secretary for Health and
Wellbeing at a ceremony held in
‘our Dynamic Earth’ on 14 March
to celebrate their graduation.
The Dementia Champion
programme was commissioned by
NHS Education for Scotland and
the Scottish Social Services Council.
In partnership with the University
of West of Scotland (UWS),
Alzheimer Scotland designed
and delivered the programme to
prepare these acute service staff as
dementia champions and leaders
of change. UWS has the largest
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School of Nursing, Health and
Midwifery in Scotland with over
4,000 students studying across 4
campuses and online.
Staff completing the champion
programme will work in partnership
with families and colleagues
towards ensuring people with
dementia have a much improved
experience in our Scottish hospitals
and wherever possible, return
home in a planned and supported
manner. The new champions will
promote understanding amongst
their own teams of the impact
of the acute care environment
upon someone with dementia
and help staff to anticipate and
respond sensitively. They will play
an important role in enhancing
the recognition, assessment and
identification of dementia in
addition to promoting excellence
in the care and support provided to
those who already have a diagnosis.
The dementia champion
programme is a key aspect of
the implementation of Scotland’s
National Dementia Strategy.
Participating staff came from a
variety of health disciplines and
sites across Scotland and important
features of the programme
have been sharing practice and
developing a commitment to
bringing about a more dementia
friendly environment, care and
culture within our hospitals.
The programme was designed
using a blended learning approach
with the champions engaging
with online resources, attending
face-to-face interactive training
sessions and experiencing a
short placement in a community
setting. Access to resources was
enabled via a virtual learning
environment which also served as
a communication hub between
the champions themselves and
with their lecturers. Each champion
had their own personal tutor in
recognition of the challenging
nature of both the course and
implementing change within
established systems and cultures.
Assignments undertaken by the
champions facilitated personal and
organisational refection on practice
and a focus on action was enabled
through the use of a specifically
designed self-assessment tool.
Evaluation suggests some of the
most powerful and motivating
experiences were the involvement
of family carers in the face-toface sessions and the community
placement, which enlightened
staff about the daily lives and the
potential of people with dementia
when they are not acutely ill.
Experiences on the programme
have reinforced the importance
of having a more personalised
approach and working with the
person with dementia, their
family, friends and communities in
meaningful partnership to realise
better health outcomes
for individuals. Even before
reaching the end of the
programme the participants
had made significant changes to
improve experiences for people
with dementia within their own
hospitals including the introduction
of information and signage, use
of life story material, dementia
signifier systems, developing
educational resources for staff and
initiatives to involve relatives and
volunteers.
The dementia champions form part
of an important and increasing
network of health staff with a
specific remit to protect and
promote the rights of people with
dementia and their families to the
highest quality of personalised
support. They will work closely with
the Alzheimer Scotland Dementia
Nurse Consultants within each
NHS Board and with the Allied
Health Professional Consultants to
exert influence over local practice
and wider strategic policies.
These initiatives are the result
of co-operative and committed
partnerships between Alzheimer
Scotland, the Scottish Government,
Health Boards and Higher
Education.
We believe these initiatives provide
a positive example of what can be
achieved when educational and
practice expertise are brought
together in a spirit of co-operation
and commitment to enhancing
the lives and experiences of people
with dementia and their families.
We would like to add our
congratulations to the graduating
champions who have worked so
hard over the last 6 months and we
look forward to continuing to work
with you and your colleagues in the
future.
Barbara Sharp
Practice Development Manager,
Alzheimer Scotland
We are delighted to be afforded
the opportunity to continue our
partnership with UWS as we
prepare to deliver a further
programme to another 200
dementia champions in the year
ahead. This time the training will
include social care staff who can
assist in preventing hospitalisation,
influence an enhanced experience
in hospital when this is essential
and support earlier well-planned
discharge.
11
Policy news
Is the National Dementia
Strategy working for you?
Guide to Dementia Standards
published
The National Dementia Strategy
should be having a positive impact
through:
• improved support following diagnosis
• improved care and treatment in general hospitals
• improved quality of care through new dementia care standards and training
• better responses to behaviours that challenge
• better integration of health and social care services.
Alzheimer Scotland has published
a guide to the Standards of Care
for Dementia in Scotland. The
new guide is aimed at people
with dementia and their family
members, partners and friends.
Alzheimer Scotland would like to
hear about your experience to help
find out what impact the National
Dementia Strategy is having across
Scotland. We are interested
in both positive and negative
experiences. Any information
you provide will be reported
anonymously to the Scottish
Government.
Tell us your story
You can add your story direct to
the Alzheimer Scotland website
or download the form from this
web page:
http://dementiascotland.org/
dementia-strategy/local-dementiastrategy-feedback/
Alternatively, you can write to:
Lindsay Kinnaird,
Alzheimer Scotland,
22 Drumsheugh Gardens,
Edinburgh EH3 7RN;
email: [email protected]
12
It explains:
• what your rights are
• the quality of care, support and treatment you or the person you care for should receive to stay well, safe and listened to
• how you can use the standards to ensure the services you receive
meet the standards
• what you can do if you are not happy with the standard of care, support and treatment provided.
A free copy of the guide may
be ordered from Lucy Glenny,
Administrator, Alzheimer Scotland.
Tel: 0131 243 1453; email:
[email protected] , or download
from our website www.alzscot.org
New Deputy Director-Policy
We are delighted to announce
that Jim Pearson has been
appointed as Deputy Director –
Policy with Alzheimer Scotland.
Jim will be familiar to many of
you as our former Welfare Rights
Manager, a post he has held since
January 2000.
Manifesto for May 2012
Local Government Election
Thursday 3 May 2012
Now that we have achieved
the right level of focus on postdiagnostic support, it is time
to return our main focus to
those people already living with
dementia in their own home,
residential or nursing care. The
Local Government Elections in
May will be a crucial campaign
for us and we will be writing to
every candidate asking them to
sign up to a pledge agreeing to
make dementia a local priority for
them, if elected. In this economic
climate, we must do all that we
can to ensure that the dementia
specific services commissioned by
local authorities and delivered by
the voluntary, independent and
statutory sectors are all protected
and not consumed into generic
services in an attempt to make
savings.
We will launch this campaign in
April and more details will be
available on our website at
www.alzscot.org ; so if any
candidate is looking for your
support, please tell them about
our campaign and ask them to
sign up.
New sources of information
Informed about Dementia
DVD launched
NHS Education for Scotland (NES)
and the Scottish Social Services
Council (SSSC) have produced an
educational resource for the entire
health and social services workforce
in Scotland. Entitled Informed
about Dementia: improving practice,
the DVD will help ensure that all
health and social services staff
understand more about dementia
and can think differently about the
people with dementia that they
might work with, either directly or
indirectly.
Henry Simmons, Chief Executive
of Alzheimer Scotland and Chair of
the NES/SSSC Programme Board,
said: “Everyone working in health
and social care, from receptionist to
consultant, should watch and learn
from this DVD: it will help to ensure
that people with dementia, their
Living well with dementia
DVD
This DVD has been produced
by NHS Health Scotland in
partnership with Alzheimer
Scotland and the Scottish
Dementia Working Group
(SDWG). It is designed for
individuals and their families who
have just been given a diagnosis
of dementia. The DVD is based
on footage from the SDWG
film Through our eyes, with new
footage adding carers’ voices and
signposting to services for support
and information.
The DVD can be viewed in English
(with or without subtitles), British
Sign Language, Polish, Chinese and
Urdu.
People with dementia and their
families and supporters can get
a free copy of the DVD from the
Dementia Helpline on 0808 808
3000. Professionals should order
Front row – Geoff Huggins (Head of Mental Health, Scottish Government), Henry Simmons (Chief Executive,
Alzheimer Scotland), Dr Lindsay Burley (Chair, NHS Education for Scotland). Back row – Garry Coutts
(Convener, Scottish Social Services Council), Agnes Houston (Chair, Scottish Dementia Working Group), Ross
Campbell (SDWG), David Batchelor (Vice Chair, SDWG)
families and carers are treated with
dignity and respect. We believe no
one should go through dementia
on their own; this DVD can help all
staff to play their part”.
A clip from the DVD can be viewed
here www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/
home/portals-and-topics/dementiapromoting-excellence.aspx
copies via their local NHS health
promotion department – contact
details also available from the
Dementia Helpline.
Jenny Henderson at jhenderson@
alzscot.org ; tel: 01387 261303.
Essential conversations:
talking about death and
dying
Talking about dying is not an
easy topic; it’s not something
that fits neatly into bullet points
or actionable processes. It is an
intrinsically personal experience for
everyone – possibly even more so
when it involves dementia.
We have developed Essential
conversations, a DVD that acts as
an ‘emotional resource’ for care
staff, helping them to enhance
their skills and confidence in
supporting people with dementia
and their families.
For further information, visit
www.essentialconversations.org.uk
or for a copy of the DVD contact
Dementia Advisor Network
grows to 29
We are delighted to welcome a
further six new Dementia Advisors to
Alzheimer Scotland. Anne Heinrich
is based in Elgin; Susan Chandler
joins us in Inverclyde where she
works out of our new Dementia
Resource Centre in Greenock;
Ann Williamson is our most
remotely based Dementia Advisor,
in Shetland; Fiona Dendy covers
North Highland from a base in
Invergordon; and Jane Maskelyne
joins our team in Fife where she will
work out of our Dementia Resource
Centre in Kirkcaldy.
We are sorry to say goodbye to
Sheila MacIver who retires from
her post in South Highland at
the end of March but welcome
Geraldine Ditta who is taking over
from Sheila.
13
Crafty challenges
Alternatively, you could get together
with a group of friends for an old
fashioned quilting bee – many
hands make light work, after all.
Why not revive your crafting skills
and help Alzheimer Scotland with
one (or both!) of our challenges for
nimble fingers.
If you are looking for inspiration,
visit Ann’s website and look at
the Hampden Park quilt gallery
section. 337 metre squares have
been completed so far – pictures
of 288 of them are on the website,
showing the range of designs
possible, as well as the talents of
the quilters. Most of the quilts so
far are from Scotland, but there
are even a few from as far afield
as Australia and New Zealand, so
why not ask family and friends in all
parts of the world to take part?
Hampden Quilt Challenge
Those of you who attended our
2010 AGM will have seen some
beautiful examples of quilts on
display, courtesy of Dumfriesshirebased Ann Hill, Alzheimer
Scotland’s quilter in residence.
During the past few years, Ann
has been working with people
with dementia, their families
and staff at various care homes,
hospitals and groups. This resulted
in 65 quilts depicting people’s
memories which are now on
display at the Scottish Football
Museum, Hampden Park Football
Stadium in Glasgow.
Not content with just 65 quilts,
Ann has decided to look for
donations of 5,000 lap quilts
– enough to cover the pitch at
Hampden Park in May 2013! Each
quilt should be 40” (or 100cm)
square. If you have any old quilts
or wallhangings that you no longer
need, these are welcome too.
A double bed sized quilt is the
equivalent of four metre square
quilts.
After being photographed from
the air, the quilts will be sold, with
any remaining being donated to
care homes throughout Scotland.
The aim of the project is to raise
awareness of dementia and how it
affects not only the person with the
diagnosis but also their families and
friends.
Why not get out your sewing
machine or your thimble and make
at least one quilt for the Hampden
Quilt Challenge? If you don’t have
a suitable pattern, Ann has some
to download on her website at
www.annhillquilter.co.uk or your
local library will have books with
patterns in their craft section.
Completed quilts can be sent to
any of the following:
• Ann Hill, Mouswald House, Mouswald, Dumfries, DG1 4LT
• Alzheimer Scotland, 22 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh, EH3 7RN
• Quilt Project, Scottish Football Museum, Hampden Park, Glasgow, G42 9BA
• or hand in to your local Alzheimer Scotland office.
Calling all knitters
By Dementia Awareness Week in
June 2012, we want to create a
blanket measuring 710 square
metres. This blanket will be made
up of 71,000 squares, representing
the number of people in Scotland
in 2010 who had dementia. This
record attempt will not only raise
awareness but we hope it will also
encourage people from all over
Scotland and beyond to pass on
the skill of knitting to someone
they know.
Alzheimer Scotland’s Argyll & Clyde
Region is attempting to beat the
current world record for the largest
hand knitted blanket (non crochet).
The current record stands at
557.34 square metres and is held
by the ladies of Hatfield Christian
Church (South Africa).
14
Chris Doogan, our link worker in
Oban, is organising and publicising
the challenge and already has
knitters on board from as far away
as Yorkshire and America, as well
as all over Scotland. But we need
many more people to make it
happen.
We are looking to you for help.
If you can knit, we would really
appreciate you helping by knitting
squares measuring 10cm by 10cm.
If you don’t knit, do you know
someone who does and who would
like to get on board with this
record attempt?
If you can help, please contact
Chris Doogan on 01546 605517
or by email at cdoogan@alzscot.
org. Chris will send you a pack
containing information on the
record attempt and what to do
with your squares when you have
knitted them.
We look forward to hearing from
you and working together to bring
this record to Scotland.
Fundraising News
Christmas Cards 2011
Wedding Present
Thanks to our many supporters
who purchased our Christmas cards
during the 2011 festive season.
We are extremely grateful for your
support. We’ve brought in more
than £50,000 from our card sales
this year. The most popular design
was our Edinburgh card closely
followed by Eleven Pipers. Our
two gift wrap designs proved to
be extremely popular too. We’ve
already started to choose our
designs for 2012 so watch this
space!
Our supporters are getting
younger!
Thomas and Mandy on their wedding day at
Strathallan Castle
27 year old Kris Rodden and more
than 20 of his friends and family
took part in a 10k Memory Walk in
Glasgow last winter.
A donation of £360 was made
to our Forget-me-not volunteer
project on behalf of newlyweds
Thomas and Mandy Brown by
Mandy’s parents, Mr & Mrs George
Mailer. Alzheimer Scotland is a
charity that is dear to the hearts of
the bride and groom.
At the young age of 59, Kris’s
mother was diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s disease. She can no
longer take care of herself, wash;
clean, dress or even eat without
the help of her carers. These
seemingly simple tasks which
many of us take for granted are a
constant struggle for his mother
and those who care for her.
Kris organised the sponsored
Memory Walk to raise awareness
of the impact of dementia and to
raise money to support the work of
Alzheimer Scotland.
He managed to get the support of
several celebrities across Scotland
and the UK, including Libby
McArthur, Michelle McManus and
Jane MacDonald, who wrote,
‘Alzheimer’s is a condition that robs
us of our loved ones while they
are still with us. My heart, strength
and love go out to all the amazing
carers out there who make a
tremendous difference to so many
people’s lives every single day.’
The participants were delighted
when River City actor Tom Urie
arrived to lend his support to the
event and pose for pictures.
As well as celebrities Kris received
the support of generous companies
including Eden Springs who
donated bottles of water for those
taking part to help them complete
their 10k challenge.
At the Memory Walk, one of our
youngest ever supporters took part.
Young Cameron Combe (then
just 6 months) was brought along
by his Mum Christiana from their
home in Beith. Cameron’s great
grandfather William Thomas Leggat
has vascular dementia and three
generations of the family took part
in the Memory Walk for him.
More young supporters
St Mungo’s Mother and Toddler
group raised £657 for us by
taking part in a ‘Toddle Waddle’
around Alloa Town. Not only was
this a great fundraiser it helped
to raise awareness in the local
area. Alzheimer Scotland was
their chosen charity because we
provided support through our day
care service to one of the children’s
grandmother.
15
Tesco Charity of the Year
Partnership – a huge success
Back in the Day Ball –
Dundee
Sean Batty with Gillian Messelink (left) and
Lucy Christopher
Alzheimer Scotland staff Pat Brodlie (Angus), Mary Gibson (Dundee) and Bud Baxter (Perth & Kinross)
launching the Roadshow vehicle
STV weatherman Sean Batty joined
forces with the Tesco Customer
Service team in Dundee to raise an
incredible £19,090 for Alzheimer
Scotland at the company’s annual
fundraising ball. Guests were
treated to music from bands Eat
the Peach and The Committee and
a whole host of fabulous treats.
The Tesco Charity of the Year
partnership came to an end on
29 February, with £6.5million
having been raised so far across
the UK for Alzheimer Scotland and
Alzheimer’s Society.
The projects being funded through
the Partnership are up and running,
with the Dementia Community
Roadshow having already reached
more than 1,000 people in
different parts of Scotland. Four
of the five new Dementia Advisor
posts being funded have now been
filled. Tesco have also matched
their staff fundraising efforts and
donated £75,000 to Alzheimer
Scotland which will help us expand
the reach of our Dementia Helpline
with a new, email-based support
service to increase the number of
people who can be supported.
Tesco staff have been really
inventive in their fundraising efforts
and have definitely put the “fun”
into fundraising with events such
as “Distribution’s Got Talent”, Bush
Tucker trials for senior staff in “I’m
a senior team member – get me
out of here” and a team of 8 burly
men who took turns squeezing into
16
a Robin Reliant to drive from John
O’Groats to Land’s End.
Other quirky events that have
taken place over the last year
included a Zumbathon organised
by Tesco Auchinleck and involving
18 Scottish Tesco Superstores, and
Inverness stores holding a Smurf
bed push event between a number
of local Tesco stores.
With golf tournaments, memory
walks, abseils, fun runs, skydives, a
Kilimanjaro Trek, store fundraising,
charity balls, promotions in store
and customer donations, this
partnership year with Tesco has
proven to be a success in raising
much needed funds for Alzheimer
Scotland and raising awareness of
dementia and Alzheimer Scotland
in communities all across the
country.
Rob Roy Challenge 2012
For the second year running,
Alzheimer Scotland is one of the
chosen charities of the Martin
Currie Rob Roy Challenge 2012,
a fantastic fundraising challenge
which comprises a 16 mile walk
or run from Drymen to Callander
followed by a 39 mile cycle to
Kenmore. This year’s Challenge
takes place on Saturday 23rd June,
with over 700 people expected to
take part.
Now in its seventh year, the event
is a wonderful way to experience
the Scottish countryside at its most
beautiful along the spectacular
Rob Roy Way, while supporting
the work of Alzheimer Scotland
and that of our partner charities,
NSPCC and WaterAid. Through
the sponsorship of individuals and
teams, over £352,000 was raised
for charity last year, including an
incredible £88,000 for Alzheimer
Scotland - and we hope to raise
even more this year.
Davy Macdonald, Alzheimer
Scotland’s Development Worker
in Oban, was one of the brave
participants last year: “I hadn’t ever
taken up such a challenge before so
was pretty nervous as to whether
I would even manage to complete
it or not. But on the day you just
got swept up in the atmosphere
of it all and that kept you going –
along with the amazing scenery,
and knowing that you were really
doing something useful to support
families living with dementia. That
took your mind off the rain and the
midges!”
Davy (centre) with two of his team mates
On completion of the event, teams
will be hosted with a sumptuous
feast and party on the stunning
banks of Loch Tay. After overnight
accommodation (camping or
nearby hotels), a special breakfast
is served on Sunday before teams
depart for home. It’s a great
event to take part in with friends,
families or work colleagues, and
many companies enter large
teams every year as a very unusual
but rewarding team-building
experience.
We would love even more of our
supporters to take part. It’s easy to
sign up at the Rob Roy Challenge
website - www.robroychallenge.
com/home/ - which also offers
more information about the event
and lots of useful tips for training
and fundraising. We are also
looking for event marshals so if you
would like to enjoy the scenery and
the fantastic atmosphere (and party
afterwards!) but don’t fancy taking
part in the challenge, why not
volunteer to help?
Bend it like Beckham?
In January, a brave team of
Alzheimer Scotland staff rose to a
challenge from the Tesco St Enoch
store in Glasgow. Our team, who
had never played together before,
took to the football pitch against
four teams from Tesco.
Our lads played 10 minute games
against each of the four Tesco
teams, with only 10 minutes’
recovery time between each
match. Unfortunately, despite the
cracking football skills on display
from Alzheimer Scotland, it was a
team from Tesco called The Smiths
who were overall winners, as well
as being integral to organising the
tournament.
Chief Executive Henry Simmons in action
I would like to thank each of the
players from our team who did
a fantastic job despite the cold
weather (and the pasting they
received in their first match) and to
their supporters who came on the
day to cheer them on.
Rachel Laming
Community and Events Fundraiser
For more details on the Challenge,
or to register your interest in
volunteering, please contact
Lucy Christopher at
[email protected] or
tel: 0131 243 1491.
17
New Dementia Resource
Centres – your help needed
Football Reminiscence
Project scores with the
People’s Postcode Lottery
Dream Fund
We have previously announced
the opening of our new Dementia
Resource Centres in Helensburgh,
Oban, Dundee and Bearsden
– centres very much in the
community, providing information
and support to people with
dementia, their partners, families
and carers.
Gordon Street to a refurbished
building which will provide space
to run day and evening care
services, therapeutic activities,
carer support and education, peer
support groups, self-management
courses and training for staff and
health care workers. We will also
provide an advice and information
service.
Can you help?
L-R: Alistair Fergusson (Alzheimer Scotland),
Annemiek Hoogenboom & Jo Bucci (People’s
Postcode Lottery) and Robert Craig (Scottish
Football Museum)
Alzheimer Scotland’s Football
Reminiscence Project, in
partnership with the Scottish
Football Museum, has been given
a fantastic award of £75,000 from
the People’s Postcode Lottery
Dream Fund. The money will help
to train volunteers to use historical
football nostalgia to stimulate
memories, as well as creating a
permanent base for the project at
Hampden Park, Glasgow
We all know that Scots are
passionate about football. We
also know that football can be an
incredibly powerful tool in helping
to trigger other memories. So
when we bring football nostalgia
to those with dementia it often has
amazing results.
Our pilot project showed that
photos of a game can help people
to remember where they went
for a pint before, where they
watched it and, in some cases,
even conversations that took place
during the game.
Alistair Fergusson
Trusts & Corporate Fundraising
Manager
18
Dementia
Resource Centre
Staff teams have now moved
into two new resource centres
in Greenock and Kirkcaldy and
centres in Inverness and Dumfries
will be ready to occupy very soon.
Work on the Dementia Resource
Centre at 1 Nicol Street, Greenock
was held up by severe vandalism
shortly after we purchased the
building. News of the extensive
damage reached local and national
newspapers and led to offers of
support from local people shocked
by the damage done to a much
needed community facility.
In December, our Fife team moved
into new premises at 12-14
Whytescauseway, Kirkcaldy. The
new location by the bus station is
truly in the heart of the community
and will eventually provide space
for meetings and events that other
groups can use.
In Inverness, we will be opening a
Dementia Resource Centre in the
heart of Inverness, at 2 Strothers
Lane, between the bus and train
stations. In Dumfries, we will be
moving a few doors along to 8
We are actively fundraising to make
sure that these Resource Centre
will be comfortable, well equipped,
relaxed, welcoming spaces for
people with dementia and their
carers. We would be delighted
to hear from anyone who is
interested in supporting us through
volunteering, fundraising and
donations. There are lots of ways to
get involved.
If you are interested in supporting
our Dementia Resource Centre
campaign, please contact:
Inverness
Vera Haringman, Alzheimer
Scotland Fundraiser Northern
Scotland on 01463 711707 or
email: [email protected]
Dumfries
Ailsa Black, Service Manager,
on 01387 261303 or
email: [email protected]
Fife
Julie Penn, Service Manager
on 01592 204541 or
email: [email protected]
Greenock
Bridget Donnelly, Service Manager
on 01475 261100 or
email: [email protected]
Membership matters
Not everyone who reads Dementia
in Scotland is a member of Alzheimer
Scotland – you may have picked up
this copy in one of our Dementia
Resource Centres, or in your public
library or GP practice, or be reading
this online. If you are not already a
member, please read on to find out
how, by joining Alzheimer Scotland,
you can help make sure no-one goes
through dementia on their own.
By becoming a member you will be
helping Alzheimer Scotland in so
many ways:
• We use membership subscriptions to help fund our work, especially in four key areas – our Dementia Helpline,
Dementia Advisors, Dementia Nurses and Dementia Research
• You will add strength to our campaigning voice – we are stronger together
• You demonstrate belief and support in our cause and the aims we have
• You might get involved in surveys and consultations that
give us valuable information for policy and publication development
• You could become part of our governing council and help grow and sustain the charity
• You might like to volunteer at a branch or service or even get involved with fundraising.
Anyone (except Alzheimer Scotland
staff) can become a member – you
may be a person with dementia,
a partner, carer or former carer,
family member or friend. You
may be a student, or a health or
social care professional. Whatever
your connection or profession, by
becoming a member of Alzheimer
Scotland you send a message
that you care about people with
dementia and want to be part of
the leading dementia charity in
Scotland.
Becoming a member is easy, you
can join online at www.alzscot.
org or you can call the fundraising
department during office hours on
0131 243 1453. We have a variety
of membership options (ordinary,
reduced rate, group and corporate)
and can help you choose the one
that is right for you.
Your membership brings benefits
for us but we also like to give
something back! Members get
discounts on training, the right to
vote at our AGM, a free copy of
our quarterly newsletter Dementia
in Scotland and a free copy of our
Annual review.
So please think about becoming
a member or, if you are already a
member, why not encourage other
people to join us?
Shona Blakeley
Head of Fundraising Development
Continued from page 8
Where will the new Link Workers be based?
In some locations we are adding to our post diagnostic support services by extending the working
hours of existing staff; in other areas there will be completely new posts. Those agreed so far include:
• 3 full time posts in mid Highland while a further 3 posts have been filled in SE Highland, covering Inverness, Nairn and Badenoch & Strathspey; we also expect a new full time worker in Sutherland as well as extra resources to extend post diagnostic support through our Caithness based services.
• We are currently recruiting a new worker in Midlothian with a further 3 posts coming up soon in the Scottish Borders. A third part-time post is now up and running in Lanarkshire.
• In Argyll and Bute, our three new Link Workers will be based in Oban (to reach the islands); Campbeltown for the peninsula and islands; and Cowal. This will bring our team in Argyll and Bute to 6 Link Workers and one Post Diagnostic Services Manager.
• 3 full-time posts in Perth and Kinross.
• A link worker and “community connections” programme in Stirling and Clackmannanshire.
19
Dementia
Diary dates
Awareness Week
18-24 June 2012
Events hotline
0845 260 0789
[email protected]
For some of our active events we require a registration fee and
minimum sponsorship – please ask our Events Team for details. See
our website for updates and new events coming up.
Sunday 15 April, Edinburgh
Rock and Roll Edinburgh
Half Marathon 2012
Saturday 21 April, Glasgow
Opera Experience (see opposite)
Sunday 13 May, Glasgow
Glasgow Women’s 10k
Saturday 26/Sunday 27 May, Edinburgh
Edinburgh Marathon Festival of
Running (Saturday: 5K and 10K;
Sunday: Marathon; Relay Marathon and Half marathon)
Sunday 27 May, Central London
Bupa London 10,000
Thursday 31 May, Dirleton
Golf event, Archerfield Dirleton Links (see opposite)
2–7 June
West Highland Way Challenge
Sunday 10 June, South Queensferry
Forth Bridge abseil
Saturday 23 June, Drymen
Rob Roy Challenge (see page 17)
Saturday 14 July, Bellahouston Park, Glasgow
Glasgow Big Fun Run (5K)
Sunday 15 July, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh
Edinburgh Big Fun Run (5K)
Sunday 12 August, Aberfeldy
White Water Rafting
The theme this year is “Creative
minds” so look out for some really
exciting and stimulating events
in your area. Our Dementia
Awareness Week conference
will follow the creativity theme.
“Creativity and dementia: policy
and practice” will take place in
Glasgow on Monday 18 June.
Saturday 21 April, Glasgow
Opera Experience
If running is not your thing, why
not come along to a night of
music, dance and storytelling
at Glasgow Cathedral, featuring
Martin Aelred, contemporary
classical singer, with special guests
including Scottish Opera’s Forgetme-not Choir. Tickets £10 from
http://www.wegottickets.com/
event/156354 or contact Rachel
Laming, Community and Events
Fundraiser, Alzheimer Scotland, 49
Milngavie Road, Bearsden, Glasgow
G61 2DW; tel: 0141 946 0966;
Email: [email protected]
Thursday 31 May, Dirleton
Golf Event, Archerfield
Dirleton Links
Tee off your summer with
Alzheimer Scotland’s fundraising
Golf Event. Drive and putt your
way across the course and finish
the day with a two course dinner,
auction and raffle. The event
will tee off with a Shotgun Start
and will take the form of a Texas
Scramble (stroke play). Tickets are
£600 for a team of four. Contact
our Events hotline for more
information:
Events hotline 0845 260 0789;
[email protected]
Dementia in Scotland is published by
Alzheimer Scotland 22 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 7RN Telephone: 0131 243 1453
Fax: 0131 243 1450 Email: [email protected] Website: www.alzscot.org
Alzheimer Scotland - Action on Dementia is a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland 149069.
Registered Office: 22 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 7RN. It is recognised as a charity by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, no. SC022315.